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Inside The Game: Flames vs. Wild

by
Aaron Vickers
/ Calgary Flames

WILD DROP FLAMES 2-1 IN OVERTIME

Jason Zucker tied the game with under five minutes remaining in the third period and Zach Parise scored the winner in extra time as the Minnesota Wild upended the Calgary Flames 2-1 in overtime at Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday.

Trailing 1-0, Zucker redirected a pass from Devin Setoguchi behind Calgary Flames starter Joey MacDonald to tie the game at 15:41 of the third period.

With Mark Giordano’s penalty for smothering the puck extending to overtime, Parise ended the game just 27 seconds in. Parked on MacDonald’s doorstep, Parise took a pass from Mikko Koivu and lifted a backhand over the shoulder of the Flames netminder for the 2-1 win.

The Wild almost ended the game late in regulation. With Giordano in the box, a cross-ice feed to Jared Spurgeon was denied by a sprawling MacDonald to force overtime.

Alex Tanguay opened the scoring for the Flames just seven seconds into a power play opportunity in the first period. After Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom stopped Mike Cammalleri’s initial shot, Tanguay batted the rebound out of mid air at 10:18 for a lead that would hold up for 55 minutes.

Parise appeared to tie the game with six minutes remaining in the first period. He sent a backhander through MacDonald on a crease scramble, but Giordano swept the puck off the goal line in time to deny the Wild attempt. It was as close as the Wild would come before Zucker’s tying goal late in the game.

GOAL OF THE GAME

Just seven seconds into a power play courtesy of Zucker’s slashing penalty, Tanguay picked a rebound out of mid air and batted it behind Backstrom at 10:18 of the first period to give Calgary a 1-0 lead.

SAVE OF THE GAME

Parise beat Joey MacDonald, but not Giordano. After crashing the crease, Parise slid the puck through MacDonald but Giordano swept the puck off the goal line and out of harm’s way to preserve the 1-0 lead at 14:05 of the first period. Parise was actually awarded the goal on the ice, but a review overturned the goal.

HIT OF THE GAME

Gaining the zone on the back half of Jonas Brodin’s double minor for high sticking in the third period, Jiri Hudler took a hit from Spurgeon, but it’s the Wild defenceman sent sprawling to the ice instead.

TURNING POINT

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT

“We wasted our best goaltending performance that we have all year. I feel very sad for Joey MacDonald because definitely he deserved the first star and more importantly he deserved the win.”

-Flames coach Bob Hartley

STAT OF THE NIGHT

Jay Bouwmeester played exactly 30 minutes against the Wild, the most he’s played in a game this season. The last time Bouwmeester played 30 minutes or more was back on December 27, 2011 in a 2-1 shootout win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.